Glorious Under Pressure

Where has the year gone?
It is almost Christmas and I have prepared  panicked. The tree is up. That is about it.

We finally got lots of rain and cold weather. Cold weather means worrying and fretting over livestock and stacking firewood.

The boys spent a good week playing on top of the firewood pile until we decided it really needed to be stacked neatly under the pool deck.

We started on a nice sunny day and finished on a cool day that was going to be freezing by nightfall.

We function gloriously under pressure.

Of course the cattle, who are roaming our yard, peaked at us curiously from afar. Cows always make me laugh with their curiosity. If we are out working on any project, they are right there watching.

This is Molly and Brownie. Brownie is ready for processing but the processors here are all swamped with work. Getting an appointment has been challenging. Until that time, he and the other 2 steers will continue to free range, despite the lower than usually supply of hay. I think we will be okay, but I hope for an early and luscious spring.

Journee finished a rather nice art project last week too.
She collected some beautiful fall leaves form my mother's yard. The leaves were soaked in a mixture of 1 part vegetable glycerin and 2 parts water.

She let the leaves soak for 3 days and then set them on a towel to dry for a day. The leaves were pliable and held their color.

She painted  a canvas and then glued the leaves to the canvas in a leaf pattern.

The result is a beautiful piece and a reminder of how lovely fall can be here in North Georgia.

We found a nice place in the kitchen to hang it up. We are not sure how long the leaves will hold up, since this is a first time project for us. I am sure we will do it again next year, and I expect it will turn into a project for several kids since they all loved watching her create it.
Journee has already come up with some ideas to expand the project.

This weekend I am hoping to get some baking done. If not, I will get lots of baby holding done. Either way it will be a win/win.
How are your Christmas preparations going?

Happy Tuesday Ya'll!

Peace,
Sami

I'm a Little Redneck

* Disclaimer: This post is not meant as an insult to my family or friends. It's written with nothing but pure affection.*

At one time we lived in a quaint and lovely neighborhood. There were sidewalks and the mailboxes has pretty, glowing gas lights.
There were block parties and impromptu cookouts with neighbors.
We had perfectly lined flower beds all around the house, and I would plant seasonal flowers every where.
At one time....

Now I have this kind of yard.

                                     

This is not a Gentleman's Farm.

I am not complaining, mind you, that we are out here on a farm, but this week has really shown the stark difference in our life style now. The neighborhood life had a way of hiding our red neck.

So this week my young pigs escaped their fencing...again. They have been escape artists since we brought them home. We have never had issues with keeping pigs within electric fencing, but these guys refuse to stay put.
They escaped a few times so we finally just let them roam the property until Devin arrived home from work. Yes, these things always happen when he is out of town. At any rate, for two days I had pigs enthusiastically rooting up all of the mulch from around the swim pool.

Then several times I would here Hilda, the pet pig, squeal. I would run outside and catch those pigs biting and chasing poor fat Hilda. She doesn't move quickly enough to get away from those young ones, so I would proceed to run outside, wearing pajama bottoms and slippers, carrying a metal rod so I could beat the pigs off Hilda. Add to this picture that I always had the baby in a sling while screaming at those bully pigs and you have there my reality show moment. Redneck at its finest.

Devin got home and because we are redneck frugal environmentalists, we recycled wood pallets into a fence.

Who needs a t-post driver when you have a tractor bucket? Now that is actually just working smarter, not harder.

Now those little pigs have two layers of fencing to keep them contained.

Of course I really want these pigs out in the woods, but unless they respect electric fencing, they will have to remain in this  lot. One day at a time will have to be my motto with these guys.

The very next day we got rain. Lots of rain. We were over 20 inches short in rain for the year and there have been numerous wildfires in the area. The rain was very much needed.

According to my redneck poor man's rain gauge, we got about 3 inches.

Yeah there are days when I miss my perfectly pretty yard and all the amenities of a subdivision, but I do love this farm life too.
I embrace the redneck, really, because it means I can improvise. I can be creative. I can be frugal. I can get the job done, no matter what.

And those pallets were slated for the dump, so we really did recycle and that makes my Inner Hippie happy.

Happy Friday Ya'll!!!!!!